Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-02
INDIANS AT SCHOOL.
GLlMPSES OF THE ESTABLi SHMENT
AT CARLISLE, PA.

The Fierceness of Savagery Disappear
Under the Influences of Civilization
| An Indian Marriage.
When one takes into consideration the
in the boys and girls now at the Carlisl,
school there are represented such tribes a!
the fierce Cheyennes; the moody Sioux
with their high cheek bones and straight
forms; the vindictive Comanches; the
Diggers, one Of the lowest and most de
graded tribes; the treacherous Pawnees
the Pueblos, half Mexican, half Indiar
tribe; the Navajoes, that have been called
the Gypsies Of the Indians; the cruel ani
murderouS Kiowas; the heavy, stupid
Shoshones; the Nez Perces, one of the
most cunning Of all the tribes; the Creeks
Crows, Modocs, the Poncas, the powerful
wicked Arapahoes, and the most stealthJ
and treacherOus of all these, the Apaches
the realization of all that has been accom-
plished there seems almost phenomenal
l have seen hundreds of photographs OF
the young men and women now there
and a number of their fathers, among
whom were some of the most noted Indian
chiefs. and the majority of them, taken al
the time Of their arrivals, show the orig.
inals to be set of half clothed, repulsive,
miserable, squalid, painted creatures,
adorned, in many instances, with all the
splendid savage ornamentation Of beads,
feathers, animal teeth and quill work and
| tattoOing.
Some of the older Indian BOYS now at
the school are fine looking, stalwart young
| fellows, who arrived there few years
| ago in all the Indian regalness of gay
blankets, hoop earrings, gaudy ornaments,
/ dc he. hot he
taken of them upon their arrival show in
their expression fierceness that seems to
have entirely disappeared with the acqui-
sition of more civilized habits and intelli-
| gent ideas. Some of the gay parapher-
MALTA owned by the Indian boys and girls
is of q most interesting description, nota-
bly, mantle that was probably used upon
occasions of great Indian celebrations or
pow-wows that belonged to one of the more
| advanced pupils, who has been at Carlisle,
| called Rosie White Thunder, a Sioux girl
who arrived at the school some four years
ago, bringing with her an unusual num-
Der Of splendid pieces of Indian apparel
an uncommon state of things, however,
excepting in one who was, like herself,
the daughter of great chief. This man
tie is of heavy wooden blanket like tex
ture thickly studded with glittering,
sharp, white elks' teeth, and is accom-
panied by band or belt Of leather, also
studded with beads and small elks' teeth.
With it are worn dozen or SO strands Of
large various colOred beads that encircle
the neck and reach down almost to the
knee. Suspended from the ears, like ear
rings, are two long, straplike ornaments
formed of twelve or fourteen rows Of
porcupine quilts that are sewed, needle
like, on to bits of buckskin. The entire
arrangement forms very gorgeous Indian
mantle of state, and was recently pur-
chased by the Smithsonian institute,
where it can now be seen in Washington.
The NavajOeS are one of the most pict-
urescue tribes that have sent their chill
dren to Carlisle, and upon arrival they are
usually well supplied with gorgeous blan-
bets, and belts, and mOcaSsins, covered
frequently with elaborate beadwork, and
about their neckS huge strands of various
colored glass beads. They are considered
the most gypsy like of all the Indian
tribes. Some of the Indian boys show
this fondness for decorating their personal
attire in their work, and this inclination
is particularly noticeable in the tailor
shop, where not unfrequently boy will
embroider the most elaborate designs upon
the Innings of the vests or jackets, while
others sew labels containing words or an
entire sentence, as one boy who made
Jacket to fit himself worked on the lining:
''Please do not give to another boy this
coat. | made it to myself" The tailor
shop is favorable place with many of the
boys, Us they seem to take more than
kindly to sewing the bits of bright braid
on the blue uniforms and ornamenting the
gayer colored Innings.
Several of the older pupils who have
been at this training school have gone
back to the Indian reservations, and,
against the strongest tide of opposition,
they have succeeded in doing vast
amount of good work, and from the diff
ferent Indian agencies Capt. Pratt is con-
stantly in receipt of the most encouraging
reports concerning the various branches
of trade in which they are engaged. Two
or three marriages have taken place at the
school, one or two having connected with
them not a little romance. OF these the
most interesting relates to young Indian
called Etahdleuh. He was formerly
prisoner in Florida, but was afterward
sent to the school at Hampton, where
Capt. Pratt found him and selected him
to pay visit to the various Indian tribes
in the far west and collect pupils for the
Carlisle school, which Etahdleuh did with
much intelligent discretion, and upon his
return he became one of the assistants in
drilling the boys. When he had continued
improving himself to such an extent in
his work and in his studies that he was
intrusted with more onerous duties that
made him a very useful assistant to Capt.
Pratt, he one day greatly surprised that
estimable gentleman by coming into his
presence and abruptly saying: ''When l
was in Florida and the good ladies teach
me, / think about what they say about
trying to be good boy. l no think about
girls. When 1 went to Hampton think
about getting the good education. l no
think about girls. When l so west with
You l think about getting scholars and
persuading the Indians TO follow the white
mans road | get my sister and Laura
and all my friends l can. l no think
about girls. When l come back / think
about learning to be carpenter, SO l can
support myself and be good citizen. l no
think about girls. But Laura she think.
And now Laura's father is dead, and
Laura say. who take care of Laura"
And think take care of Laura"
1t was a very unique way of proposing
to Laura but it found favor in the eyes
Of fHsie proper authorities. for their we'd
ding was soon after celebrated. and was
gala day at the school, as the pupils were
all given a holiday, and the bride was
decked out much like one of her fairer
sisters, in a white gown and wreath
and veil that were presented 10 her by
some of the young ladies residing in Car
Isle, who take more or less interest in
the affairs of the training school. This
wedding occurred some time ago. and
u-han | WAS there q few weeks Sincf, I